Why you should add Beijing to your RTW travel list

Experience the city as it changes into a modern marketplace and society

Not only explore Beijing, but use it as your starting point for all of China

Experience the old colliding with the new

Visit one of the world's great wonders - The Great Wall of China

Food! The food is incredible, and don't be afraid of the street food, as its the most authentic.

Why you should not add Beijing to your RTW travel list

Traveling in China can be extremely challenging and frustrating, so it's not for the novice traveler.

The pollution can be unbearable at times.

If you don't know what you're doing, Beijing can become really expensive really quickly.

Overview

As host to the 2008 Summer Olympics Beijing is exploding with construction and
activity. China’s capital city of over 13 million is on the fast track toward
Western modernization (for better or for worse) and nothing will stand in its
way. Cars and more cars as well as MTV and marketing slogans are now everywhere
and designer stores and mobile phones are suddenly as common as they are in most
of Europe. But there is still plenty of the old Beijing to see as thousands of
years of history don’t get wiped away quickly.

What To Do

The massive Forbidden City is probably Beijing’s most famous attraction
and is a must for every visitor. This enormous cluster of ancient buildings is
the best place to see China of old and see up close how things were run during
the 500 years when the rest of the world was locked outside the Forbidden City’s
gates.

Tianenmen Square is not just home to a famous protest, it’s the world’s
largest public square and is in the heart of Beijing. It’s filled with kite-flying
locals and tourists alike and it’s fascinating to see this stone square
that was once home to parades of one million people.

The most often visited section of the Great Wall of China is nearby and tours
from Beijing are very popular. You can’t come to China without having a
look at the wall, but scams are somewhat common from unscrupulous drivers and
tour operators so take caution and book with an operator that looks legit.

Where To Stay

Foreign visitors used to be restricted to staying only in high-priced “official”
hotels, but things are changing quickly. It’s now possible for Westerners
to book into a wide variety of hostels
in Beijing as well as hotels
in Beijing in all price ranges. As with anywhere, the better and cheaper
places tend to fill up in advance so plan ahead.